Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-26
AN ENGLISH STAG HUNT.
ExHlIARATlNG EFFECT OF A GAL
LOP OVER THE HEATHER.

Hurry j. the Word When the Hounds
Begin to Bay-A Hard Ride TO the
Finish-A Stag Facing His Foes-The
Death Stroke.
We are on the top of POrlock hill, and
snuthward and westward stretch the rolling
hills of the forest, Scared by the deep
coombes AMI Tayines at the bottom Of which
invariably runs IL Strean II of water, in which
salmon and trout caus. many a whirl and
eddy. The grand old trees on the slopmg
sides of these coombes look 50 quiet and
stately that it seems as if we had left the
hahited world altogether. Northward, n
thousand feet l,elow us, the Atlantic ocean
rolls its waters up the Bristol channel, and
daShes It's spray on the Shhgly beach
shadowed by the trees and hl1lshwood which
.Ore quito down to the waters edge. But
bark! There's shout and the pealing of
Arthui's horn. Something's afoot. is it a
stag or hind!" is the anxious inquiry of
every body. There it goes up Wonder slope.
'TiS hind, thoush, with u tufter hard ut her
heels" The hound is whipped off, and again
there" another, NOW Il chorus from four or
five hounds, backed up l,y notes from horn.
All eyes are eagerly watching the edges of
the woods to see what breaks out Crash
BY Jove! there he is, and splendid fellow,
too. What II head! Brow, bay, and tray,
and three pom top" 'Tis glorious sight to
ste him toss back his antlers and go at long,
swinging gallop across the heather and disap-
pear over the crest of the opposite hill.
Hurry is the word. Tighten your girths
get into the saddle, and make up your mind
FOR hard ride now, for the stag has gone
straight for the moor, and srbbing sides and
r,rldened rowels will tell their usual tale ere
we SCI him up to bay; perhaps in Waters
meet"
The tuftels are whipped off, and Arthur
rides fast back for the pack, which he quickly
brings up and lay on the track Just a min
ute the hounds feather, then from old Chnl-
lrnger's throat there comes a roar as he
strikes the line; hi comrades take up the
note, ani for few iniun:cs the hills resound
to the deep hayIng as each dog catches the
mystic scent. They rapidly settle down To
their long sweeping STRIDE, and the hunt has
fairly begun.
the exhlarating effect of a moorland gallon
as the heather glides under onr horses feet
Down that coombe the chase takes Us,
along the BOTTOM then up the steep sides
over the powders and among the larches
Our horses must walk it. At last We reach
the brow and observe a few horsemen vanish
over the opposite side. We follow hard in
| their wake, and soon can see the hounds before
and below us running fast and close to the
| line Arthur in his scarlet coat is close up with
them, as also are about half dozen jealous
| sportsmen. Two hours, and not check. =
| Phew, Our horses are beginning TO feel the
| strain, and we should not at all object tc
| draw rein, hut the gallant beast ahead is
| showing sport, and lie leads us through the
| beautiful woods and glales of llorner past
the old water mill, up the stream, and acros:
the side of old Dunker1y, the highest and
| hleakest hill in the west. Here the hounds
| Waver and lose the scent. All what relief
| to pull up and blow our horses Five min
utes, and an old hound hits the line again
| and says So and shows the way toward thc
| famous valley where the Doonas had then
robbcr stronghold Few are the riders now
| as We lead our foam covered horses down the
| tremendous deciivity tnone could ride down.
Again we mount, dash through the ford oi
| Brqdgeworthy Water, and stretch out fOl
| Simonsbath We take care to avoid riding
where the bright green patches of seeming
beautiful galCping ground denote the pres
cnce of hogs into which it is dangerous IL
| ride Lives are lost by getting into thes,
quagmircs, and frequeHteIs of the moor Civ,
them as wide berth as possible.
Ia! The hounds swing back toward
Biadgoworthy Water, and the stag is seeI
below with lowered head now seeking th,
cooling bath Of the waters. No time do tn,
dogs give him, however, and he sinks the hi
straight this time at is all upl' We know
now that he has well nigh finished his course
for when deer seek to attain hilltop b'
going straight up tits n sure sign Of the end
The master and Arthur with one or two othe
riders in scarlet are in front of us. and W
| hope that the stag will turn to bay quickly
So that we may be present at the kill. Tn
noble brutes We ride have had quite enougl
of it, and gone is the free reaching stride o
the beginning of the hunt We struggle on
however, and are gladdened by hearing th
baying of the hounds beneath, down by tn
stream, beyond that thick belt Of woods. "
slip and CHATTER down the rough sides, an
between the trees we catch glimpse of seal
let and other coats, raging dogs, and, as W
get up close, there, with his back against a
immense bowider, in mid stream, is the oil
stag facing his foes, and, like gentleman q
he is, fighting to the last. One unwary youn
hound is ripped up from shoulder to flank b
a dash of those terribly sharp browantlers
Others, more wise, keep at distance, an
! bay till the coombe echoes with their pealin
notes
Arthur is in first, and jumping ont of th
| saddle with the agility Of 30 years instead {
~, gets up the sides of the rock, and whc
the deer, with hoof and horn, is keeping h
canine enemies from fastening on him, L
leans forward and sends his hunting knit
K deep into his throat With an upward tn
Of his head and roll of his beautifully brow
ewes the stag sinks down into the water deai
Then the death whoop peals and the 'mol1
!, is sounded, again and again, "whoop, who-
4 o-p, who-who o-op" The shonts make Il
conmbe echo and r,,-echo with the shrili ha
! loo and the stragglers coming down tine hil
l. sides know that they are just too late to 5,
the death stroke given
The deer is pulled to the bank and h
| pblills lTS Cpuliltu anu us aiHo dliiih Gu
I is then grallocked and his entrails thrown
the hounds. The Slots the two fore hoof
are given as trophies to two fair ladies, wi
have ridden the chase fairly through, fro
find to finish Congratulations and expeI
: ences of the day are exchanged, and merl
ten minutes chat takes place.-'The Eth,
ing" in The Argonaut
, A Famous Dinner Dainty.
Is In bliSsful Ignorance that the pencork "
esteemed a famous dinner dainty hy cpiCul
before Paris itself WAS famous, n correslpI
ent in Paris writes thus; '''rhe most nu'
| fenturn of the t.nt,.ItnimlnnnI Mns The nlnhi